Monday, 31 October 2011

1909

"I'm Alabama bound, I'm Alabama bound, I've tried you out, I've got to turn you down."


(L-R Errol Flynn, Dana Andrews, James Mason)


Oh my, this is no good! Unfortunately, we're missing a post highlight this month. No hot chickadees! That better be addressed in next months post, or I may lose interest in this blog. Anyway...

Actors Dana Andrews, James Mason, Burl Ives, Errol Flynn and Michael Rennie, and Directors Joseph L. Mankiewicz, Marcel Carné and Elia Kazan were born in 1909. Also songwriter Johnny Mercer, "King of Swing" jazz clarinetist/bandleader Benny Goodman and pianist Art Tatum.


A Corner in Wheat
Dir: D.W. Griffith
Time: 14mins


Le locataire diabolique [The Devilish Tenant]
Dir: Georges Méliès
Time: 6mins


Princess Nicotine; or, The Smoke Fairy
Dir: J. Stuart Blackton
Time: 5mins


The Lonely Villa
Dir: D.W. Griffith
Time: 8mins


The Airship Destroyer
Dir: Walter R. Booth
Time: 7mins


Le voyage sur Jupiter
Dir: Segundo de Chomón
Time: 8mins


The Country Doctor
Dir: D.W. Griffith
Time: 14mins


Une excursion incohérente [A Panicky Picnic]
Dir: Segundo de Chomón & Camille de Morlhon
Time: 8mins


Clair de lune Espagnol [The Moon-Struck Matador]
Dir: Émile Cohl
Time: 2mins

1909 has been my favourite year for movies so far, and I think the best of the bunch stand out as some of the great movies of the decade. Griffith's work really stands out, and here we get to see a 23 year old Florence Lawrence, and a 17 year old Mary Pickford (in her first year of movie acting). The 3 DW Griffith shorts I've seen share much in common. There's an impressive variation of indoor sets, and outdoor locations. The cross-cutting techniques have not really been applied to anything prior to these, and there's many more modern methods starting to take shape. The long(ish) final shot of A Corner In Wheat with the fade, the similar opening and closing shots used in The Country Doctor etc.

Biograph (Griffith's employers) were lucky enough to partner with Edison under the "Motion Picture Patents Company", which would keep the "Edison Trust" out of the way. As many other smaller studios opposed Edison's grip on the american movie industry, legal wranglings and violence from Edison's goons caused much disruption, and I believe this advantage proved a significant reason for Biographs success, and its' filmaking to flourish unfettered.

Beatles side-note: George's dad, Harold Hargreaves Harrison born 1909. 

My film ratings for 1909.

My music ratings for 1909.


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Sunday, 9 October 2011

John Lennon (1940 - 1980)

"It's Johnny's birthday, It's Johnny's birthday!
And we would like to wish him all the very best!"

A wizard with his wand

Continuing with my brief birthday posts for the 'fab four'...

I can't write anything about this man that has not already been said, so I won't try. At least half of what I say is meaningless anyway. An all-time hero, and a constant source of inspiration. Part leader, part asshole. Complete genius.

For much of my teens, I'd find the both the 9th October & 8th December (obviously) quite upsetting, by focusing on the death of this great man. The way he died was extremely tragic, but now I can't help but feel true optimism whenever my thoughts focus on this fella. His spirit remains as strong today, as it ever did, and I think if everyone practised the positivity this guy exuded, the world would be a much more fun and interesting place to exist.

I got a chip on my shoulder that's bigger than my feet
I can't talk to people that I meet

He's missed by many, but thankfully his soul never seems too far away.

Today would have marked his 71st birthday. I don't think much of his family made it to that age, with the exception of Aunt Mimi of course, who lived to the ripe old age of 88. By 1909 Mimi, was 6 years old and, had a new baby sister. John's mother (Julia) and another 2 sisters were born during the next 7 years.

Instant coffee's gonna get you...

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